A Hedge of Curses: Deuteronomy 27 (5)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 83.1-3
Do not keep silent, O God!
Do not hold Your peace,
And do not be still, O God!
For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.

Psalm 83.1-3
(St. Chrysostom: We Have not Known Thee as We Ought)
O God, do not be quiet now; do not be silent, nor be still!
See how Your foes erupt in a row and those who hate You chafe at Your will.
Shrewdly they plan, conspiring as one, against Your daughters and Your sons.

Today’s Text: Read Deuteronomy 27.20-23

Preparation
1. To which of the Ten Commandments do these curses refer?

2. What activity is cursed?

Meditation
These curses reinforce the hedge of the fifth and seventh commandments. The curse in verse 20 has both these commandments in view, for the action cursed transgresses each. It’s not difficult to see how the action cursed here attacks the divine order for marriage and family life.

The act described in verse 21 is a gross and unnatural form of adultery. It is also a violation of the divine order of creation, in which God has made people in His image and likeness. We are not animals; Adam found no creature among the animals suitable for him as a wife (Gen. 2.20). God’s design for our sexual lives is restricted to marriage between a man and a woman. One’s heart must be very hard against God and His Law to resort to the activity cursed here.

Verses 22 and 23 also represent violations of the seventh commandment and attacks against the divine order. People who would do such things were to be cursed for their grossly indecent behavior.

Each of these acts was punishable by death (Lev. 20.11, 14-17). God’s measures to guard His holy people may seem harsh at times, but they are acts of grace compared to allowing actions such as these to go unchecked.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Just in case we might be inclined to think these curses are strictly Old Testament stuff, the apostle Paul ends his first letter to the Corinthian church with this word: “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed” (1 Cor. 16.22). And the writer of Hebrews adds this: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God…” (Heb. 3.12). We also hear Jesus’ voice in Revelation saying, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev. 2.4). Clearly there are curses enough to encompass all people that ever walked, or will walk, the face of the earth. But the good news is this: we don’t have to fall under any of these curses. We can follow God’s commands. We can be forgiven when we don’t. We can repent and turn from our sins through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can love the Triune God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And we can embrace these words of hope: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus.” “Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen” (1 Cor. 16.23, 24; Eph. 6.23, 24). And “Amen!”

Reflection
1. What does it mean to be cursed? How do curses serve as a hedge for God’s people?

2. The seventh commandment appears to be especially prone to being violated. Why is that? How can you guard against violating it?

3. What are we saying when we say “Amen!” to God’s curses?

To each of the curses the people were to say, Amen. It professed their faith, that these, and the like curses, were real declarations of the wrath of God against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, not one jot of which shall fall to the ground. It was acknowledging the equity of these curses. Those who do such things deserve to fall, and lie under the curse. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Deuteronomy 27.11-26

Guard my heart, Lord, so that I always…

Closing Prayer: Psalm 83.4-18
Let the words of this psalm search your soul. Wherever you discover anything offensive to God and His Word, confess and repent. Commit yourself to staying on the path of righteousness before the Lord.

Psalm 83.4-18
(St. Chrysostom: We Have not Known Thee As We Ought)
“Come, let us wipe them out,” they say. “Let Israel’s name no more be heard!”
Bold they conspire to do us away, and covenant against You, O Lord.
Peoples and nations cast in their lot for this ambitious, wicked plot.

Deal with them, Lord, and bring them down, as You against old foes prevailed,
When You Midian cast to the ground and all her kings and princes assailed –
all who Your pastures sought to possess You brought to ruin and deep distress.

Make them like whirling dust, O God!  Scatter them like the windblown chaff!
Rage like a fire consuming a wood, like flames that burn a mountain pass!
Blow like a tempest, bring them to harm, and terrify them with Your storm! 

Fill with dishonor every face that they may seek Your Name, O Lord.
Bring them to shame, dismay, and disgrace, and let them perish under Your Word,
that they may learn Your infinite worth, O God Most High of all the earth!

T. M. and Susie Moore

Listen to our summary of last week’s study in Deuteronomy by clicking here. You can download all the studies in the series by clicking here. And check out our current ReVision series on encouragement.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy: Ancient Christian Commentary Series III, Joseph T. Lienhard, S. J. ed. in collaboration with Ronnie J. Rombs, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2001). All quotations from John Calvin from John Calvin, Commentaries on The Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Order of A Harmony, Rev. Charles William Bingham M. A., tr. and ed. (Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society, 1863. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).